Is a vertical row of buttons the dividing line between caring about appearance and not caring about appearance? Or can we say that as a society we decide what is acceptable to wear in public? If it's socially acceptable to wear shorts and a t shirt, and I wear nice, clean shorts and a t shirt, your conclusion is that I don't care about how I look? That's some serious mental gymnastics. You could reasonably say that I look like I have different clothing preferences.
Downvoting because I think you took my comment in poor-faith. I didn't say wearing shorts means you don't care how you look - imho shorts look fine when it's customary. I said that wearing pants despite shorts being a possibility does show how much you care.
So, as you said, shorts are customary in the US but not in Mexico.... how does that translate into less self-pride in the US? That is just a different custom of dress. Are you arguing that 'self-pride' is measured by how uncomfortable you make yourself?
I'm probably bringing my own US biases in, but I think objectively that more comfortable => less pride in appearance. Not less pride overall just pride in appearance.
(You're not a bad person because you only wear cargo shorts! You just don't value your appearance as much as somebody who always wears suits.)
I'd love to learn of (and maybe live in) a culture that thinks elastic-waist sweatpants show a sense of pride rather than somebody who (for the moment) is choosing comfort over appearance.
I just don't see that making sense. Maybe it's a generational thing, but I've never seen a person in a suit and thought they must have extra "pride" in their appearance. I mean, anyone can look decent in a (tailored) suit. It's easy. it's a standard corporate outfit because you don't have to think too hard about it. If anything I assume suit wearers don't have enough confidence to pull of a more individualistic look competently.
Meanwhile I see some of the pics from r/streetwear, and those folks have pride! Sweatpants and all, I can appreciate that there is an actual aesthetic there and that their outfits fit their body types and daily needs (especially for techwear).
Nothing makes comfort or lack of traditional formality unstylish in itself, other than biases and cultural gatekeeping at least. Dirty clothes are lazy of course, but so long as your clothes actually fit you and are clean + coordinated, its possible to have pride in your style and be comfy. Even if suit afficianados sneer, if you like it and others like it, you can be proud.
I think his point is making a big assumption that replies are bucking - dressing more traditionally formal != pride in appearance. In fact, as the sibling comment to yours points out - that's not the case at all. Being individualistic, whether that's in a stylish suit or an outfit from /r/streetwear, shows pride in one's appearance. I see a man in a printed tshirt and a man in a boring, unexciting button down equally as far as "pride in appearance" goes
